Beyond Chic

Book excerpt: "Chanel, Alaa̐, Courrg̈es, Pucci, Kenzo, and Missoni . . . but also Yves Saint Laurent, Manolo Blahnik, Franca Sozzani, and Christian Louboutin. From France to Italy, from the UK to Morocco, with stops in the Egyptian desert and the Aegean islands, we are invited on a private visit to the remarkable homes of couturiers, stylists, muses, and fashion personalities. Far from the pressure of the catwalk and atelier, Terestchenko shows the dčor, the works of art, and the personal collections of these highly talented designers. Some interiors, such as Chanel's apartment at 31, rue Cambon, are mythic, while others like those of Victoire de Castellane, the designer of Dior's jewelry line, or Vanessa Seward, the designer of Azzaro, are completely unconventional. Minimal (Nicole Farhi), exotic (Franca Sozanni), and deceptively simple (Loulou de La Falaise) Beyond Chic is for anyone who loves fashion, interiors, and design"--